Devastating Dreams
by Celeste Belle
Summary: George is devastated after Fred's near-death experience during the Final Battle, too afraid to be without his twin, and too afraid to let him get as close as he was. Will Fred be able to convince George that it will be alright? NO TWINCEST!


Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter.

A/N: Just my take on what would have happened after the Final Battle. Fred LIVES!!! **NO TWINCEST!!!!!!!**

Devastating Dreams

The hospital was a dark, cold place. George hated being there. But he would stay until Fred woke up. Blinking against a wave of fatigue, he sighed. 1 month, 6 weeks, 4 days, 7 hours, 15 minutes, and 47 seconds. And he was counting. Every second without his twin, his other half, seemed like a lifetime. Each eternity was getting longer. Transfiguring the chair into a small bed, he rested; in dreams, he was plagued by nightmares of a world without his twin as Fred finally went where he could not follow.

George awoke, panting. The dreams had been more frequent this week. Looking around, he noticed he was alone. His heart racing, he leapt out of bed, scrambling for the door. It was freezing in the apartment, with George only in his blue boxers, but he took no notice. Gasping for air as he flung open door after door, he finally sat on the steps leading to the shop and sobbed. It hadn't been a dream. He was alone.

"George?" a voice called from the darkened shop

Jerking his tearstained face from his hands, George noticed a light was coming from the back room. Running toward it, George stopped short at the sight of Fred cleaning up and restocking the shelves. Fred turned toward him.

At the sight of George's tears, Fred dropped what he had been holding and opened his arms. "Another dream?" he questioned as George flung himself into his twin's embrace. Stroking George's hair as the tears flowed, Fred soothed him. But nothing could take away the nightmares.

George tried to get as close to Fred as he could. Fred's arms tightened around him as George's wrapped around his waist. Finally, Fred pushed him back, gently holding his shoulders as he looked into his eyes. The ghosts still haunted him. Wiping away his tears, he flicked his wand at the lights. "Let's go. This can wait until morning." Fred said. _But George cannot_, he realized.

Together, they returned to their apartment. George sat on the couch and made a fire as Fred went to the kitchen. "Do you want tea?" he asked

"No. Something stronger." George replied

Nodding to himself, Fred took out the Firewhisky. _It was one of _**those **_dreams._ George's dreams hadn't been as frequent as they were right after Fred awoke, but now, after four months of sharing a bed as they had done when they were children, George had suggested that Fred return to his own room. "We'll get married one day, and you won't be sleeping next to me. Unless you think we should share wives." He had joked. Fred had replied with slightly narrowed eyes and a light smack to the back of his head. The twins shared everything but women.

Returning to the living room with the bottle and two glasses, Fred noticed George had his head in his hands again. Placing the tray on the table, he sat next to George. "You gonna be alright, mate?" he asked

"I don't know." George replied honestly. Even though Fred had sustained the physical injuries, George's ran deeper. The sight of Fred lying in a pool of his own blood haunted him. He rarely slept any more for fear of waking up to find Fred gone. When he did sleep, he dreamed of Fred leaving.

Sighing, Fred poured two glasses. George picked his up and downed it in one swallow. Fred drank his more slowly. George had already refilled his glass. "Take it easy, Georgie. You don't want to kill your liver." Fred joked.

George frowned and downed another glass. Sighing, Fred sent the bottle to the cabinet. Two was enough for now. "I need that, Fred." George said seriously.

"No, you don't. I'm here. You don't need the alcohol."

"Feels like I do." George muttered

Fred placed an arm around his twin. "Do you want me to sleep in your room tonight?"

"No." George said desolately

"Why?" Fred asked, unable to discern what he should do, "You don't sleep well otherwise, George."

"Because, you won't be able to sleep next to me forever."  
"It hasn't even been a year yet, George. The dreams aren't even slowing down. Just let me stay until they go away."

George had never pushed him away before, even when he had become depressed after the war. He had always allowed Fred back in. But now, it seemed that George was deliberately trying to hide from him. Now, it was Fred's turn to bury his head in his hands. George was afraid of losing him, but he had already lost George to the dreams.

In a rare display of love that they hadn't needed before, Fred reached for George's hand and pulled him to sit against him. When his younger brother was fully leaning against him, Fred embraced him. George tried to break free, but Fred wasn't letting go. Never again. "Relax, George. We just need to be close."

In a moment of vulnerability as his walls fell, George whispered brokenly "And then we'll feel better?"

Fred almost sobbed. George sounded like a little child who needed reassurance. Together since birth, never separated for more than an hour, except for the rare times when they did not double date, it had almost killed George to not be able to interact with his twin. As he felt George relax within the shelter of his arms, he replied "Yes. We'll feel better. Our minds were just separated for too long, Georgie. I'm sorry that I didn't pay enough attention. If I had, your mind wouldn't have been subjected to the darkness that mine was. I wasn't aware of the darkness at the time because I was unconscious, but yours knew everything. I'm sorry."

George turned his head and placed his face against Fred's sweater. He raised his arms and placed his hands over Fred's. Moments like these got rarer as the two got older and understood that it was socially taboo, but occasionally, they needed each other. Like now. They only ever just held each other, making sure to stay close.

When George had lost his ear, Fred had followed him everywhere, including the bathroom. It hadn't bothered George, until Fred asked to stay and talk to him while he showered. That would have crossed a line, even if they hadn't done anything. So, George had embraced Fred, and told him that he wasn't going to die in the shower. Not while they were staying with Bill and Fleur. He didn't want her ogling his 'bits.' Fred had laughed, and the next few days were better. They came close to losing each other, but they were able to bounce back, stronger than before.

George yawned, and Fred smiled. "Tired?" he asked

George nodded, snuggling closer. He seemed so vulnerable at that moment. Fred placed a chaste kiss on his forehead and gently eased him away. "Ready, George?" he asked standing and offering a hand.

The twins hadn't held hands in years. It just wasn't manly. But George, exhausted, plagued by nightmares, and in desperate need of reassurance that Fred would not disappear, took it. They walked side by side into Fred's room. Fred led George to the bed and tucked him in. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and his nose took in Fred's scent. Changing out of his clothes, Fred slipped in beside him. He just lay there for a few minutes, watching George to make sure he was alright. Fred was about to drift off when a whimper startled him. Turning to George, he lightly touched his shoulder.

George awoke with a silent scream. He had no more tears. Fred's hand found his own, and George instinctively rolled over to bury his face in his neck. And so, with Fred's arms around him, and his breath steady next to his ear, George fell asleep. There were no more dreams tonight. His heart and mind were soothed, if only for a little while, content with the knowledge that Fred's were nearby.

It would be many months before the dreams finally left. And more months before the two young men could bear to be separated for a long period of time, but the war was over. And they were finally healing.

A/N: I know. Not what I usually write. But my brain kept screaming at me to write it, and so, here it is. I hope you enjoyed it. Leave a review.


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